Improvement in corsets and pads



JULIA A. BATES.

CORSETS AND PADS.

Patented 0ct.31, 1876.

'a.flalzi- 4 dam 51 H m M Q M Q N UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JULIA A. BATES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORSETS AND PADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 183,743, dated October 31, 1876; application filed May 29, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIA A. BATES, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Corsets, of which the following is a specification My improvements relate to those parts of the corset which inclose partially and support the bosom; and the object of my improvement is to afford, as near as possible, to the swells or gores of the corset, which correspond to this part of the form, the rounded and gradual fullness and contour of the bosom, and at the same time to impart to the gores and swells the degree of elasticity and durability requisite to give ease and freedom of action to the wearer, and also to preserve the shape and outline, so as not to fall down or press upon the bosom from the contact of the dress or other garments and my invention consists in the relative construction and arrangement of curved elastic springs (of whalebone or other suitable material) placed in parallel lines across the gores and swells, in lengths gradually increasing from the top toward the central part of the gores, in the manner now more particularly to be described.

In the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a front view of the corset, showing the gores and swells for the bosom, and the parallel lines of the springs in their places. Fig.2 represents the interior face of the gores, with a portion of the covering fabric removed to show the springs underneath. Fig. 3 represents the springs arranged and constructed according to my improvement, but sewed into a fabric in a separate form, distinct from the corset, so as to be sewed or buttoned into the gores or removed from them at pleasure.

In all the figures the same letters of reference represent the same parts.

In the constructing my improvements I take a number of springs made of thin flat whalebone, as the, best material for the purpose, (though other suitable material may be used,) and these should be of the same width and thickness, and they must be slightly curved on the lines of their edges. In their lengths they are unequal, and I make the uppermost spring the shortest, the next in the series is longer, and the length of each increases until the lowest one is reached. The upper or shortest spring a is sewed into the gore or swell in a separate space or sheath, in a horizontal position, or nearly so, near the upper edge of the gore, in the inside thereof. The upper edge of the gore rises in a rounded or circular line, b b, and the upper spring is placed in its position and held there, so that its upper edge forms, with the upper edge of the gore, the figure of a very flattened ellipse. This spring is also so placed in the gore, and secured in its case or sheath by the sewing, that it will bend or swell gently outward and retain that position, and at the same time have its elastic action unimpaired. The next lower spring in the series, a, is longer than the first, and extends beyond the first at each end, so as to have its end reach the upper edge of the gore. It is sewed into its sheath, and there held in a similar manner to the first-described spring, its ends also extending to the upper edge of the gore. The series of springs is continued to the number required, each one beinglonger than the one above, with this difference only, that after the first two or three shorter springs, (the remaining ones being longer,) their ends run beyond the width of the gore proper on one side, as at c, and at the other side they stop at the vertical corset-clasp, as at d. The springs should extend in their lowest or central portions only about half-way down the gore, and from their manner of being placed and secured they rise at their ends from the middle gradually, thus leaving about halfthe gore or swell of clear loose cloth, excepting that portion of the gore which is occupied by the vertical springs e e, which extend from the top to the bottom of the corset. These springs, as shown in the drawing, are six in number; but this precise number is not essential, and the number may be varied according to their width and other circumstances; but I think that the number above given is about the most suitable.

Instead of this manner of securing the sprin gs between the outer cloth of the corset and the inner covering of the springs, the springs may be arranged as a separate attachment or distinct article of manufacture from the corset, and may be attached by sewing or buttoning to the gores, or detached therefrom at pleasure. In this form the attachments may be applied to any made corsets having suitable gores.

By this improvement the desirable shape or contour of the corset and corresponding part of the dress is preserved with the necessary elasticity and softness of action in wearing, and this part of the corset does not fall down or sag, and, if it yields to pressure, will immediately recover its proper shape, and thus promotes greatly the comfort of the wearer, and the proper form and durability of this portion of the corset, and obviates the use of pads. Having thus described my invention and improvements, and the manner of constructing the same, what I claim therein as my inset forth.

JULIA A. BATES. Witnesses:

WM. H. BATES, E. G. MATURIN. 

